My mother had a friend who was well known for her humor. She was also very well known for her acts of kindness and service. When someone was sick or there was a death in the family, Dottie was always there with food. In fact, she often picked up food from other members of the church to deliver to families.

Dottie had a little girl named Beth. Beth was a precious child and rather precocious. Beth often accompanied her mother on her deliveries, and she wanted to know where they were going, why they were taking food, and what delicious treats they were transporting. One afternoon, on one of these deliveries, Beth watched as each dish was placed carefully in the car. As usual, she wanted to know what was inside the carefully wrapped dishes. The last stop was for the dessert, a chocolate pie. This happened to be Beth’s favorite. Looking at the pie sitting on the seat, Beth let out a sigh. Dottie asked her what was wrong; and this was Beth’s exact reply. “I wish someone would die in my family so I could have chocolate pie.”

Beth was too young to understand the real meaning of what she said, but I think we sometimes do the same thing. We wish for or even pray for things without the wisdom we need to make those requests.

When God appeared to Solomon, He gave Solomon a chance to ask for whatever he wanted. Solomon was humble in his request to God. He said, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” (First Kings 3:9 ESV). Solomon’s request was for wisdom. According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, wisdom is “the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.” Solomon wanted to make good decisions, so he asked for that ability.

Do we have that same opportunity to be wise? Many men have desired wisdom, and they have gone to the best schools, read the most valuable books, and traveled the country in search of wisdom. But Solomon himself, the wisest of all men, provides us with the answer.

Solomon says in Proverbs 2:6 that wisdom comes from the Lord. From the Lord’s own mouth, we receive knowledge and understanding. Only through a study of God’s Word can we gain true wisdom.

In order to be wise, we must learn to listen. Solomon said, “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance” (Proverbs 1:5). When we make requests of God, we need to have first listened to Him. We must learn what He wants us to do, then we will know what requests we need to make from Him.

What will wisdom do for us? Solomon says the wise will understand righteousness, justice and equity. The wise will know every good path, be delivered from evil ways, and from men that would try to pervert the truth and rejoice in doing evil (Proverbs 3).

Just how valuable is wisdom? Solomon says that it is more valuable than silver and gold. The wise man will inherit honor (Proverbs 4).

Jesus compared the wise and the foolish in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7. He told a parable about a foolish man using sand as a foundation for a house. When the storms came, the house was destroyed because it did not have a good foundation. The wise man built his house on rock; and when the storms came, his house stood and did not fall.

Without the wisdom Solomon spoke about, we will be just like the foolish man. We will not be able to make the right decisions nor be able to withstand the hard times that come to everyone.

Proverbs gives us some meaningful thoughts to end this study. “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it” (Proverbs 9:9-12).

Wisdom is found in doing what is right. Doing what is right is found in the Word of God. Gaining wisdom is a continuous process. Only through constant study and the application of God’s Word will we truly know the value of wisdom.

Sandra Oliver